Post by Sophie on Sept 26, 2022 6:25:01 GMT -5
The Ael Company, one of Kumosenkan's preeminent electronics production companies, was immersed in their quarterly report meeting. The company was run by Countess Ael Wakaba and was in constant, fierce competition with the Sael, Riel, and Fiel Corporations. Each, run by one of her quadruplet sisters. Ael Wakaba was the youngest of the four and had to constantly fight to even be recognized as a living Kumo growing up. Before their mother died, all four of the electronic companies were one. Simply the "Wakaba" corporation. When Duchess Mio Wakaba died, in her will, she stated to split her company evenly between her "triplets." Ael's name wasn't mentioned a single time through the entirety of the will, and Ael had to sue her own mother's estate to have the Wakaba corporation split into fours rather than thirds.
Out of spite, the other three quadruplets ensured that Ael was left with the weakest slice of their mom's corporation. Through years of backroom deals, cutthroat politicking, and foreign influence deals, Ael had grown her portion into the second strongest electronics producer in the Empire. Producing over three times the Wakaba Corporation at its peak. Ael now was only outcompeted by Sael's company. Ael owned twenty-seven percent of Kumosenkan's electronics factories, Sael thirty-two, Riel fifteen, and Fiel twelve. All of them had grown as the Wakaba Corporation at the time of its dissolution only held forty percent of the market share, and now all her children held over eighty percent of the market.
"And as you can see." A woman in a very form-fitting suit stood at the head of the meeting room table. Behind her was a sales over time chart. "We've seen a thirteen percent growth in productivity since we began selling into the Zarich market. We expect by the end of quarter four of this year our productivity should increase by an additional twenty percent.
At the other head of the table was Ael Wakaba. She was beyond exhausted as she had spent the past two weeks working herself to exhaustion, only sleeping once her body physically collapsed. Despite this, her personal maids had managed to make her presentable each day. She wore a tight black suit with a matching tie made from her own silk. Her deep black hair was well kept into a tight bun but had clear markings of a lack of care. Split ends, frayed knots, and the like. Still, the Star-bellied Orb-weaver Kumo looked as professional as ever. "What are the needs of Zarich going to look like in Q one of next year?"
"Current prediction models estimate that Zarich is going to increase their consumption of electronic components by fifteen percent in the new year." The woman answered with confidence and flipped her sales chart to one showing Zarich's need for electronics.
Ael pressed her fingers into her forehead, trying to stem her grating headache born from exhaustion. "Are we going to be able to keep up with those numbers? Or is Zarich going to turn to the Sael Corporation?"
The woman shook her head. "I am afraid your assessment is accurate. Even with our most generous productivity estimates, we won't have the factories to keep up with demands."
"Damn it!" Ael shouted and slammed a fist on the table, knocking her teacup over.
"Th-there is no need to fret, Madam Countess!" The woman assured her and the rest of the women present. "Thanks to the premium our electronics are running for on the international market our profits from the last two quarters have been extraordinary. With your authorization, I believe it would be wise to begin construction on a new fleet of factories under your name."
Ael eyed the Financial Officer. "How many factories do we need to build to keep up?"
"With our current estimations, we'd want at least another sixty factories." She answered. "However, I would recommend building much more."
With a deep sigh, Ael acquiesced. "Thank the Spirits I met Duchess Suelecia Analeit at Princess Reito's birthday. She should be able to get us underway as soon as possible. Let's build an even hundred factories then. Is that within our budget?"
"It should be, but it never hurts to cajole a good deal if you can get one out of her."
Out of spite, the other three quadruplets ensured that Ael was left with the weakest slice of their mom's corporation. Through years of backroom deals, cutthroat politicking, and foreign influence deals, Ael had grown her portion into the second strongest electronics producer in the Empire. Producing over three times the Wakaba Corporation at its peak. Ael now was only outcompeted by Sael's company. Ael owned twenty-seven percent of Kumosenkan's electronics factories, Sael thirty-two, Riel fifteen, and Fiel twelve. All of them had grown as the Wakaba Corporation at the time of its dissolution only held forty percent of the market share, and now all her children held over eighty percent of the market.
"And as you can see." A woman in a very form-fitting suit stood at the head of the meeting room table. Behind her was a sales over time chart. "We've seen a thirteen percent growth in productivity since we began selling into the Zarich market. We expect by the end of quarter four of this year our productivity should increase by an additional twenty percent.
At the other head of the table was Ael Wakaba. She was beyond exhausted as she had spent the past two weeks working herself to exhaustion, only sleeping once her body physically collapsed. Despite this, her personal maids had managed to make her presentable each day. She wore a tight black suit with a matching tie made from her own silk. Her deep black hair was well kept into a tight bun but had clear markings of a lack of care. Split ends, frayed knots, and the like. Still, the Star-bellied Orb-weaver Kumo looked as professional as ever. "What are the needs of Zarich going to look like in Q one of next year?"
"Current prediction models estimate that Zarich is going to increase their consumption of electronic components by fifteen percent in the new year." The woman answered with confidence and flipped her sales chart to one showing Zarich's need for electronics.
Ael pressed her fingers into her forehead, trying to stem her grating headache born from exhaustion. "Are we going to be able to keep up with those numbers? Or is Zarich going to turn to the Sael Corporation?"
The woman shook her head. "I am afraid your assessment is accurate. Even with our most generous productivity estimates, we won't have the factories to keep up with demands."
"Damn it!" Ael shouted and slammed a fist on the table, knocking her teacup over.
"Th-there is no need to fret, Madam Countess!" The woman assured her and the rest of the women present. "Thanks to the premium our electronics are running for on the international market our profits from the last two quarters have been extraordinary. With your authorization, I believe it would be wise to begin construction on a new fleet of factories under your name."
Ael eyed the Financial Officer. "How many factories do we need to build to keep up?"
"With our current estimations, we'd want at least another sixty factories." She answered. "However, I would recommend building much more."
With a deep sigh, Ael acquiesced. "Thank the Spirits I met Duchess Suelecia Analeit at Princess Reito's birthday. She should be able to get us underway as soon as possible. Let's build an even hundred factories then. Is that within our budget?"
"It should be, but it never hurts to cajole a good deal if you can get one out of her."